Jewel-setting tool



Feb. 14 1956 R. D. DEUTSCH x-:TAL 2,734,190

JEWEL-SETTING TOOI..

Filed July 8', 1954 United States Patent JEWEL-SETTING TooL Robert D. Deutsch, Glencoe, and Otto E. Langos, Chicago,

lll., assignors to Dorothy Flicek Industries, Inc., Clucago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 8, 1954, Serial No. 441,974

9 Claims. (Cl. 1--4) This invention relates to a tool for the setting or mounting of jewels, and more specilically to a tool for home and hobby (frequently called do-it-yourself) used in applying rhinestones, imitation pearls and other simulated jewels to sheet materials, particularly clothing fabrics.

Such jewels are commonly mounted on fabrics by lirst piercing the fabric with the prongs of a cut-like mounting, then bending the prongs around the jewel, which is inserted in the mounting over the fabric, the bending of the prongs thus serving both to lock the jewel into the mounting and to secure the jewel and the mounting to the fabric. VFor effecting these operations, there have heretofore been devised a variety of tools, generally employing an appropriately shaped anvil together with a jewelsetting head assembly which cooperates with the anvil to perform the piercing and bending operations. In factory operations, it is common to place these members at the ends of the arms of a large U-frame or C-frame, the frame having a throat of sufficient depth to permit the installation or mounting of the jewels on the desired portion of the garment or other object to which the jewel ornamentation is being applied. Since tools of this type have deep throats in order to accommodate substantial quantities of fabric when ornaments are to be applied to the central portions of garments, they must be built very rigidly, because a relatively small angular misalignment of the top and bottom portions or arms of the frame would produce complete misalignment of the anvil and the head, thus preventing proper operation of the tool.

The cost and bulk of unitary tools or machines of this type having a throat of adequate depth to permit utilization of the tool for the installation of jewels on the central portions of relatively large pieces of fabrics have heretofore been considered prohibitive for home and hobby use of such unitary tools. Accordingly, the jewel- Setters heretofore used in do-it-yourself application of rhinestones and other jewels have employed separate and independent anvil and head assemblies, head assembly commonly being designed to be held in the hand and placed over the anvil when a jewel is to be mounted.

The device of the present invention provides a unitary construction wherein the anvil and the head assembly are supported at the ends of the arms of a frame and held in alignment by the frame, yet the frame is light in weight, small in bulk, and extremely simple and inexpensive to construct. It is found that many of the stone-setting operations required in do-it-yourself installation of jewels on garments and other sheet materials require only a shallow throat on the frame in which the working portions of the tool are held. It is further found that the use of a shallow throat permits the employment of a structure having far less required rigidity than that employed where a deep throat is used, since the same angular rnisalignment of the arms of the frame will produce a relatively negligible misalignment of the anvil and the head member in the case of the shallow throat.

These findings have been utilized to produce'ajewelsetting tool for home and hobby use which achieves the advantages obtainable from a factory-type jewel-setting ice tool in the vast majority of operations encountered, and which may nevertheless be readily converted to a nonunitary separate anvil and head for the occasional requirement of applying jewels to portions of a garment or other work-piece which could not be so ornamented in the desired manner by a unitary tool unless the unitary tool had a large throat such as that provided on factorytype tools. For understanding of the invention, reference is made to the embodiment thereof illustrated in the appended drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a jewel-setting tool made in accordance with the invention, shown resting on a table or similar support;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device of Figure 1 taken along the line 3 3;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan View of a portion of the device of Figure 1 taken along the line 4--4;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged View corresponding to a portion of Figure 3, but illustrating the parts in a different position; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of a jewel and mounting representative of those with which the tool is designed to be used.

The jewel-setting tool of the illustrated embodiment has a generally U-shaped frame 10 having va lower arm portion 12, an upper arm portion 14 and a connecting rib portion 16. The outer end 18 of the lower arm portion 12 is upwardly offset from the inner or main portion of the lower arm 12. The outer end of the upper arm portion 14 is reentrantly bent at 20 and 22 to form an integral bracket 24, the bracket 24 and the outer end of the body of the arm 14 being apertured at 26 and 28. The offset end 18 of the lower arm 12 is apertured at 30, the aperture 30 being in alignment with apertures 26 and 28.

Mounted on the oiset portion 18 of the lower arm of the frame is an anvil 32 having a circular base 34 and an upwardly extending circular stern 36. The stem 36 passes slidingly through the aperture 30 in the olset portion 13 of the frame and is circumferentially grooved at 38, the groove 38 being above the base 34 by essentially the thickness of the oifset portion 18 of the frame. A spring wire 40 secured to the frame by a rivet 42 seats in the groove 38 to act as a latch holding the anvil 32 in position on the frame. The magnitude of the offset of the portion 18 from the inner portion of the lower arm 12 of the frame is equal to the thickness of the base 34 of the anvil. Thus the inner portion of the lower arm 12 and the base 34 of the anvil 32 define a substantially continuous plane of support for the tool on a table or other support 44 upon which the device is placed. One or more apertures 46 are provided in the lower arm 12 to permit permanent lor temporary fastening of the tool to a table or other support, should such fastening be desired.

Slideably mounted in the apertures 26 and 28, in the bracket 24 and the upper arm 14, respectively, is the tubular casing or housing 48 of a jewel-setting head assembly generally designated 50. The head assembly 5l) is of the same general type as that heretofore employed for home and hobby mounting of jewels on fabrics where no frame was employed. Slideable in the casing 4S is a ram 52, the upper end of which is connected by a shank 54 to a handle or knob 56 adapted to be driven by the palm of the hand. A tubular guide 58 surrounding the upper portion of the shank 54 and secured to the knob 56 cooperates with the ram 52 to confine the ram 52 and shank 54 to longitudinal motion in the casing 48. A compression spring 60 acts between the lower edge of the guide 58 and a washer or stop 62 secured inside the casing 48 to normally withdraw the ram 52 into the casing 48. The lower end of the ram 52 is hollow, the lower or outer end wall 64 being apertured to pass a centering pin 66 which is slideable freely in the apertured end of the ram, but is held therein by a head portion 68, a compression spring 70 biasing the pin 66 outwardly.

A compression spring 72 acts between the upper surface of the bracket l2A!- and the under surface of the knob 56 to urge the head assembly upward in the frame. But a collar 74 of rubber or similar elastic material on the casing 48 limits upward motion of the head assembly with respect to the frame.

The upper or working surface of the anvil 32 is formed with a recess or cup 76 having inwardly and downwardly sloping walls.

In Figure 6 are shown a mounting 78 and a jewel 80 representative of the type of mounting and jewel with which the device is designed to be used. The mounting 78 has a base or back 82 and extending prongs 84, forming an open nest or receptacle for the jewel 80, which is indicated as being substantially hemispherical, but which may of course be of a variety of shapes. In using the device of the invention, the jewel 80 is first dropped into the cup or recess 76. The fabric to which the ornamentation is to be applied, designated with the numeral 86 in Figure 5, is placed over the anvil and the mounting 82 is placed on the fabric with the prongs 84 in contact therewith. When the handle or knob 56 is then struck with the palm of the hand, the various parts or portions of the jewel-setting head assembly 50 are actuated in a manner suited to mount the jewel in the mounting while at the same time securing the jewel and mounting to the fabric. ln the first portion of the stroke of the handle 56, the entire head assembly travels downward against the force of the spring '72. When the lower end of the casing 48 clamps the fabric 84 in position on the anvil, further motion o-f the knob or handle 56 drives the ram 52 downwardly with respect to the casing 48 against the force of the spring 60. In the first portion of this latter motion, the centering pin 66 is seated in a central aperture 88 in the mounting 78, the aperture 88 and the pin 66 being provided for the purpose of proper centering of the mounting with respect to the anvil as the forming operation is performed. In the last portion of the stroke of the handle or knob 56, the base or back 82 of the mounting is struck by the end wall 64 of the ram surrounding the centering pin 66, thus driving the prongs 84 through the fabric and then bending the prongs 84 inwardly around the face of the jewel 80. During this portion of the operation (Figure the lower end of the centering pin 66 rests against the jewel 80 and the pin 66 is thus forced into the ram 52 against the force of the spring 70. When the handle or knob 56 is then released, the relative motions of the parts are reversed and the punch assembly returns to its original position. When the parts are restored to the original position shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the mounting and the jewel are left securely fastened to the fabric or material to which they have thus been applied.

It will be noted that in the illustrated embodiment, the casing 48 is slightly iiared or enlarged at the lower end at 99 (the enlargement being somewhat exaggerated in the drawing). This enlargement is provided to insure against improper operation due to slight defects in mountings whereby the apertures in the bases or backs of the mountings are slightly off-center. If desired, this possibility of improper operation may similarly be eliminated by enlarging the casing 48 along its entire length.

As hereinbefore stated, the throat of the frame 10 (the distance between the ends of the arms l2 and 14 and the connecting rib portion 16) must be kept small in order to assure proper register of the head assembly 50 with the anvil 32 when the frame 10 is of the inexpensive and light-weight construction required for home and hobby use. In the illustrated embodiment, the arms 12 14 and the connecting portion 16 of the frame are bent to the form of a channel in order to strengthen the structure to the maximum extent possible against misalignment of the head and the anvil without sacrificing cost and bulk.

The structure thus described is usable in the form illustrated in the vast majority of jewel-setting operations required in do-it-yourself7 applications. The use of a unitary assembly as illustrated permits much greater precision and ease of operation than is obtained when a separate anvil and head assembly are employed. However, it occasionally happens that it is desired to install jewels on portions of material which are so remote from the edge thereof that the portion of the material between the edge and the place where the jewel is to be installed cannot be placed in the throat of the frame. In this case, in the present structure, the anvil and the head assembly may readily be removed from the frame to be used without a frame in the manner heretofore common. The anvil is removed by merely unlatching the spring Wire 4t) from the groove 38. The head assembly is removed by removing the elastic collar 74 from the casing 48 of the head assembly.

Obviously, persons skilled in the art will readily devise many modifications of the illustrated embodiment which nevertheless utilize the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention shall not be deemed to be limited by the embodiment thereof illustrated in the drawing, but shall be defined only by the appended claims. What is claimed is:

l. A jewel-setting tool comprising an anvil having a base portion and a stem portion having at the end thereof an upwardly facing sloping-wall recess, a U-frame having at the end of the lower arm thereof an upwardly offset portion having an aperture slidingly receiving the stem portion of the anvil, the magnitude of the offset corresponding to the thickness of the base portion of the anvil so that the base portion of the anvil and the inner portion of the arm define a substantially continuous plane of support, an annular groove on the stem portion of the anvil and a spring latch on the upper surface of the offset portion of the arm engaging the groove to retain the anvil in position on the arm, an elongated jewel-setting head assembly, aligned apertured portions at the end of the upper arm of the frame to position and guide the head assembly for movement longitudinally toward and away from the anvil, a spring between a portion of the head assembly and the frame member urging the head assembly upwardly away from the anvil, and an elastic ring on the head assembly abutting against the frame to limit the upward motion of the head assembly, whereby the anvil and the head assembly may be removed from the frame by unlatching of the anvil and removal of the elastic ring.

2. A jewel-setting tool comprising an anvil having a base portion and a stem portion having at the upper end thereof an upwardly facing sloping-wall recess, a U-frame having at the end of the lower arm thereof an upwardly offset portion having an aperture slidingly receiving the stem portion of the anvil, the magnitude of the oiset corresponding to the thickness of the base portion of the anvil so that the base portion of the anvil and the inner portion of the arm define a substantially continuous plane of support, cooperating latching means on the stem portion of the anvil and on the upper surface of the offset portion of the arm to retain the anvil on the arm, an elongated jewel-setting head assembly, guide means on the end of the upper arm of the frame to position and guide the head assembly for movement longitudinally toward and away from the anvil, a spring between a portion of the head assembly and the frame urging the head assembly upwardly away from the anvil, and a removable stop member on the head assembly abutting against the frame to limit the upward motion of the head assembly, whereby the anvil and the head assembly may be removed from the frame by unlatching of the anvil and removal of the stop member.

3. A jewel-setting tool comprising an anvil having a base portion and a stern portion having at the end thereof an upwardly facing sloping-wall recess, a frame having horizontally extending upper and lower arms and having at the end of the lower arm thereof an upwardly offset portion having an aperture slidingly receiving the stern portion of the anvil, the magnitude of the olset corresponding to the thickness of the baseportion of the anvil so that the base portion of the anvil and the inner portion of the arm deiine a substantially continuous plane of support, cooperating latching means on the anvil and on the offset portion of the arm to retain the anvil on the arm, an elongated jewel-setting head assembly, guide means on the end of the upper arm of the frame to position and guide the head assembly for movement longitudinally toward and away from the anvil, and a removable stop member on the head assembly abutting against the frame to limit the upward motion of the head assem- Y bly, whereby the anvil and the head assembly may be removed from the frame by unlatching of the anvil and re moval of the stop member.

4. In a jewel-setting tool comprising a U-frame, an anvil having a sloping-wall recess at the end of one arm of the frame and a jewel-setting head assembly mounted at the end of the other arm of the frame and adapted to strike the base portion of a jewel mounting to bend the prongs thereof inwardly by pressing against the sloping wall of the recess, the improved construction wherein there are provided a manually disengageable locking means on said one arm of the frame to position and lock the anvil, guide means on the other arm of the frame to position and guide the head assembly for sliding motion along the line of the axis of the recess, and a manually disengageable stop member on the head assembly abutting against the frame to limit such sliding motion, whereby the anvil and the head assembly may be removed for use without the frame.

5. In a jewel-setting tool comprising a frame having opposed extending arms, an anvil having a sloping-Wall recess at the end of one arm of the frame and a jewel-setting head assembly mounted at the end of the other arm of the frame and adapted to strike the base portion of a jewel mounting to bend the prongs thereof inwardly against the sloping wall of the recess, the improved construction wherein there are provided a manually disengageable locking means on said rst leg of the frame to position and lock the anvil, guide means on the other leg of the frame to position and guide the head assembly for sliding motion along the line of the axis of the recess, and manually disengageable means to limit such sliding mo- 6 tion, whereby the anvil and the head vassembly may be removed for use without the frame.

6. In a jewel-setting tool comprising a frame having opposed extending arms, an anvil having a sloping-wall recess at the end of one arm of the frame and a jewel-setting head assembly mounted at the end of the other arm of the frame and adapted to strike the base portion of a jewel mounting to bend the prongs thereof inwardly against the sloping wall of the recess, the improved construction wherein there are provided a manually disengageable locking means on said rst arm of the frame to position and lock the anvil, and manually disengageable means on the other arm of the frame to conne the head assembly to a limited path of sliding motion along the line of the axis of the recess, whereby the anvil and the head assembly may be removed for use without the frame by disengagement of said locking and conning means.

7. A frame for a jewel-setting tool comprising a generally U-shaped member having at the end of one arm thereof means to position and lock an anvil and at the end of the other arm thereof a bracket constituting an integral extension of the outer end of such arm, the arm and the bracket having apertures defining a sliding path for a punch member in alignment with the anvil, whereby the frame may be formed from a single sheet of metal.

8. The frame of claim 7 wherein said arms are bent to the form of a channel to strengthen the structure against misalignment.

9. A jewel-setting tool comprising an anvil having a sloping-wall recess, a jewel-setting head assembly including a tubular casing, an assembly within the casing including a ram slideable in the casing and a spring urging the ram upwardly in the casing, and support means interconnecting the anvil and the head assembly including an arm having formed therein a guide for sliding motion of the casing in alignment with the anvil, and a spring acting between the arm and the head assembly to urge the entire head assembly upwardly away from the anvil, whereby manual moving of the reciprocable assembly toward the anvil rst moves the end of the casing down to the anvil and then moves the ram downwardly in the casing to complete the setting of a jewel.

Kemp Feb. 8, 1910 Friedman June 2, 1925 

